The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-01-24

Prohibition SuOuiisslonn and Compensation.
Prohibition 10 presented 10 the Lcgiala-
ture as q moral irHue, and 10 1t will DO pre-.
Bented to the people II the proposed con.
stitutional amendment be submitted. 1t
Is necessarily admitted that prohibitoIy
amendment, though 1t might not operate
10 prohibit the liquor traffic, would take
away revenue. Tho advocalca OF tho
measure argue that 1t would DO worth in
definitely moro than it would cost, for it
would result in a great moral gain. The
proposition 10 not weakened by placing It
on this ground, for there arc no prouder
or more substantial triumphg among men
than tho actual gaining Of great moral
ends. t
Tho INTElIIoIScEE, doubling tho wig
dom Of tho proposed measure, by NO
meana convinced that tho State az body
polite or tho people as individuals would
be benefited by it, looks with ontire favor
upon tho submission Of tho amendment,
because the people have right 10 say
what shall be their fundamental law.
That is clear and indafcnsible right, to
be modified in ila exercise by wisdom ard
forbearaEce.
Holding this view, and the SUCCESS o!
the measure in the Legislature being
s.aked on its high moral character, the
ISTgLLIGEScEE hss upon former occasions
respectfully submitted that moral vic.
tory ough. not to be won a: tho cost Of an
immoral set. It ia immoral to take from
a man without compensation that which
the Law has permitted him to acquire and
in the possession OF which il has protected
him. The State he's and exercises the
right 10 take from e citizen his house aud
the ground on which 1t glands. II be the
pleasure OF the State 30 to do il will cYer-
cise this right in behalf OF G corporation
which desirea to build a railroad through
the ciGzsn's property. This is its right Of
eminent domain, exercised in this in.
stance because the building OF the railroad
Is held to DO 10: the public welfare. Blu.
the State will not take, or allow to be
taken, the property OF the citizan without
compensation; il it did i.s sovereignty
would degenerate into IN oppressive ty-
ranny.
Would it DO q nea-e. approach to jus
tice for the State 10 tako from the brewer
and distilley their business on the ground
that such taking would ba fer the public
welfare? E.ch one those establishments
has been built up under he encourage.
men! aud protection OF the Law. The
State he's taxed them for their shars OF the
burden Of government. In every way in
which il is possible go to declare the state
has declared theirs to be legitimate bua.
mess.
To prohibit that brsiness is to make
practically valueiess thoEe costly establish.
nerts, and their value will have been
taken from them by the State. The
ground and the buaIinga will stand, but
having been constructed and arranged for
q particular purpose, their value is gone
when they can no longer be devoted 10
tina. purpose. 1.-THE business Of the brew
or end dis.iller DO hurtiul TO the people,
as many congcieut!ously believe, it ought
to be equal matter OF COINCIDENCE to
take care that no wrong be done in getting
rid Of that influence. The State for it's
own credit cannot afford 10 wrong any
man. To taxa without compensation
anything, or to remove the conditions
which under the immemorisl policy oil
the State have given to that thing
lawful value, 10 to do wrorg.
/. may be tina. the brewers and the dis.
:illers Of Weat Virginia can stand it, but
the higher consideration is that the State
cannot. Any act Of the State ought to
represent tho virtue and intelligence Of its
people. The ISTELLrGgSCEE cannot be-
!icve that an &C! Of spolia:ion would repre-
sent the virtus and intelligence Of the pco,
pie OF West Virginia.